Dog owners are happier than cat owners, according to a new study

Dog owners are more likely to be married and own a house, the new survey reveals
Manuel Meza/Unsplash

Dog owners are twice as likely to be happy as cat owners, a new survey has revealed.

The General Social Survey (GSS), carried out by a team at the University of Chicago, found that 36 per cent of dog owners report being “very happy” compared to just 18 per cent of cat owners.

Dog owners are also more likely to be married and own homes than cat owners, the study’s findings show.

This isn’t the first time man’s best friend has triumphed in the wellbeing stakes.

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In January 2019, an online poll of 2,000 people found that dog owners tend to enjoy improved levels of mental health and fitness, along with reduced stress levels.

Also in 2016, a separate study found that dog owners scored higher on all aspects of wellbeing than people with cats.

But feline lovers shouldn’t despair just yet. Owning a pet of any description offers wide-ranging benefits, according to previous research.

Simply bonding with a pet has been found to reduce symptoms of depression and lower blood pressure. And in a survey conducted last year of 1,000 dog and cat owners over the age of 55, almost half of respondents said having a pet meant they never felt lonely.

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